12
On no account should you ride with a
bent or broken frame. Never attempt
to repair damaged parts yourself.
Otherwise, there is a danger of accidents.
Faulty parts have to be replaced by a spe-
cialist retailer. Please only ride your bicycle
again when the parts affected have been re-
placed. Faults on the frame or other parts can
cause accidents. If your bicycle does not ride
in a straight line without any problems, this
can be due to a bent frame or fork. Please
contact a specialist retailer to have the frame
and fork checked and possibly to have the
bike realigned.
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Thanks to the evolution in materials and con-
struction techniques, nowadays it is possible to
produce all shapes of frames safely so they per-
form stably during riding. So despite a low step-
through, you can still be sure that your bicycle
is always safe on the roads, even with luggage
on board.
If your bicycle is stolen, it can be iden
-
tified using its frame number. Please
always note down the full number in
the correct order. Otherwise it is impossible to
make a unique identification.
In the documentation you received from the
retailer when you purchased your bicycle,
there is also a section where the frame num-
ber is entered.
The frame number can also be engraved
on various parts of the frame. It is frequently
found on the seat tube, at the drop-outs or on
the bottom bracket casing.
As is the case for all mechanical
parts, bikes take on wear, tear and
heavy use. Because of heavy use,
different materials and components can react
to wear and tear in different ways. If a com-
ponent is used for longer than it is designed
for, it may suddenly stop working and possi
-
bly lead to injury or cause additional damage.
Any kind of rip, puncture or colour change
seen in an overused area indicates that the
component’s use has reached its limit; the
component should in this case be replaced.
Please have your bicycle checked by
a specialist retailer on a regular ba-
sis. These experts can identify dam-
aged and worn parts and are able to advise
you in selecting replacements. Refrain from
repairing key parts yourself (frame, fork, han
-
dlebars, stem, headset, brakes, lights).
Screws and torque spanners
When working on the bicycle, please
ensure that all screws are tightened to
the correct torque. The required torque is print-
ed on many parts with a screwed connection.
Measurements are given in Newton metres
(Nm) and applied with a torque wrench. It is
best to use a torque wrench that displays the
tightening torque as it is in use.
Otherwise screws can snap or break. If you
don’t own a torque wrench then you should al-
ways leave this work up to a specialist retailer!
A table listing the most important torques for
bolted connections is provided on page 26.
Maintenance/upkeep
